Houston product liability lawyer’
Calls for Recall of Wingspan Stent System Grow Louder
Friday, December 23rd, 2011
A former official with the Food and Drug Administration has joined a growing number of voices calling for the recall of the Wingspan stent system manufactured by Stryker. This medical device has been associated with an increased risk of suffering strokes and death.
According to consumer safety group Public Citizen, a recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that persons with a Wingspan stent have a 2.5 times increased risk of suffering a stroke or death. Public Citizen has asked the Food and Drug Administration to have the device removed from the market.
The study investigated 150 patients...
Company to Pay $600,000 for Failure to Report Defective Toys
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
Build-A-Bear Workshop has agreed to pay $600,000 in penalties to federal safety regulators to settle charges that the company failed to report defects in its toy beach chairs.
The company will pay the money to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. According to the allegations against the company, Build-A-Bear Workshop failed to notify the Consumer Product Safety Commission when it became aware of a defect in its product. The defect involves sharp edges on the beach chair’s wooden frame. The sharp edges can cause cuts, lacerations and other wounds. They can even be severe enough to amputate a child’s...
CPSC Issues Warning against Using Bumbo Baby Seats on Elevated Surfaces
Sunday, November 27th, 2011
In spite of earlier warnings as well as recalls by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the manufacturer of Bumbo Baby Seats, too many parents continue to use these seats on elevated surfaces. The result is very often a nasty fall accident.
Several infants have fallen off the elevated baby seats, and suffered serious head injuries, like skull fractures. Now, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Bumbo International are again advising parents not to use the baby seats on elevated surfaces. Bumbo International is warning that infants may have a high risk of falling, when they lean forward from the...
Report Indicates High Risk of Choking, Noise, Toxic Exposure Hazards in Children’s Toys
Thursday, November 24th, 2011
The US Public Interest Research Group has released its annual survey of toy safety Trouble in Toyland. The report finds that children still continue to be at risk from toys that contain toxic chemicals, or conceal choking or noise hazards.
The surveyors found several toys on the market that contain excessively high levels of lead and phthalates. Lead has been found to contribute to neurological delays in children. Phthalates have been linked to premature delivery and reproductive disorders.
The survey also found toys that concealed choking hazards, or failed to warn parents and consumers about choking hazards. The surveyors also included...
Texas-Based Company Recalls Glass Vases Due to Laceration Hazards
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
A Texas-based company has recalled glass vases after reports of the glass shattering or breaking when a person picks them up. The company, Irving-based Michaels Stores Inc. is recalling the Ashland Glass Vase. The glasses were sold at the Michaels Arts and Crafts Stores between January 2008 and October 2011.
The vase is made of clear glass, and measures 8 inches in width, 12 inches in height and 2.5 inches in depth. The vases were manufactured in China. According to the company, the vases can shatter when a person picks them up, posing a possible cut or laceration hazard to...
Johnson & Johnson Will Phase out Carcinogenic Chemical from Products
Friday, November 18th, 2011
Johnson & Johnson has announced that it will phase out a potentially carcinogenic chemical from hundreds of its baby products.
According to the company, it will phase out formaldehyde preservatives in shampoos and other children's products over two years. There have been a number of complaints about the presence of formaldehyde in Johnson's baby shampoo. This is a known carcinogenic that has also recently been linked to a hair styling product. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has warned about the risk of formaldehyde poisoning in hair salon workers who work with Brazilian Blowout hair straightening products.
Formaldehyde can trigger some...
Toy-Related Recalls Are Down, but Still Far Too Many Injuries Every Year
Thursday, November 17th, 2011
Parents in Houston and around Texas will soon begin poring through shopping lists, looking for the perfect gift for little ones. Safety obviously will be a priority for these buyers. The good news is that the number of recalls involving toys in the United States is down. The bad news is that last year, more than 181,000 children were taken to hospital emergency rooms with a toy-related injury.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2010, 181,500 children were injured in toy-related accidents, and had to be taken to hospital ERs. The children were below 15 years...
Safety Regulators Warn about Fire Risks in Electric Cars
Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
Federal auto safety regulators are warning about the risks of fires involving electric hybrid vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries.
The risks came to light after a GM Volt electric hybrid vehicle burst into flames when it was parked at a NHTSA testing center in Wisconsin. The car had been tested in a crash test just a few weeks earlier, and had been parked in a garage, where it burst into flames. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the fire. In the meantime, the agency is warning other automakers who are currently manufacturing electric hybrid vehicles powered by lithium-ion...
Spike in ATV Accidents, Injuries
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
The American Academy of Pediatrics specifically forbids children below 16 from using ATVs. Sadly, those warnings are probably being ignored by many. According to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics, there has been an increase in the number of ATV-related injuries involving children.
Between 2002 and 2009, approximately 30% of people who were injured in ATV-related accidents were below sixteen years of age. Most of these injuries occurred when ATVs flipped over, trapping children underneath, and other injuries occurred when children were thrown off their ATVs during an accident.
Researchers believe that the spike in ATV-related injuries is...
Spin Master Fined $1.3 Million for Selling Tainted Toys
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Toymaker Spin Master, which distributed the Aqua Craft Kit toys inside the United States, has agreed to pay $1.3 million in fines to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to settle allegations that the company continued to sell its Aqua Craft Kits even after receiving reports of injuries and illnesses.
The Aqua Craft Kits contain small beads that stick together when water is poured on them. The company soon began to receive reports of children who became severely ill after they ingested the tiny beads. At least two children went into a coma in October 2007. It was only after these...
